Brian Stokes Mitchell Joins Cast of City Centers Encores! Love Life

New York City Center has announced final casting for the Encores! production of Love Life, running March 26-30. The production is directed by Tony winner Victoria Clark (Kimberly Akimbo) with guest music director Rob Berman leading the Encores! orchestra. JoAnn Hunter will choreograph.

Love Life, which has not been seen in New York in over 75 years, was originally scheduled as part of the 2020 Encores! series, but performances were canceled as a result of the pandemic shutdown.

Brian Stokes Mitchell (Ragtime), who was part of the 2020 cast, returns to the role of Sam Cooper, joining his other 2020 cast members Kate Baldwin (Hello, Dolly!) as Susan Cooper, John Edwards as Hobo, Sara Jean Ford (Cats) as Miss Ideal Man, and Clarke Thorell (Annie) as Mr. Cynic.

New for the 2025 production are Andrea Rosa Guzman as Elizabeth Cooper and Christopher Jordan as Johnny Cooper. Nicholas Christopher, previously announced in the role of Sam, is no longer able to appear due to personal conflicts.

The ensemble is Kate Bailey, Jordan Barrow, Adam Bashian, Kerry Conte, John Harmon Cooper, Daniel Everidge, Nicole Fernandez-Coffaro, Ta’Nika Gibson, Joseph Ryan Harrington, Mary Illes, Andrea Jones-Sojola, Esther Lee, Cory Lingner, Cameron Loyal, Renni Anthony Magee, Robin Masella, Michael Milkanin, Kristin Piro, Nathan Andrew Riley, Heath Saunders, Daniel Schwait, Allyson Tucker, Nicholas Ward, and Minami Yusui.

The only collaboration between Kurt Weill (music) and Alan Jay Lerner (book and lyrics), this rarely seen 1948 musical, considered to be the first concept musical, depicts a love story that takes place over 200 years of American history, seen through the eyes of a family who never ages. This production features scenic design by Ryan Howell, costume design by Tracy Christensen, lighting design by Paul Miller, sound design by Scott Lehrer, hair and wig design by J. Jared Janas, and illusions and magic by Skylar Fox.